Thursday. 18.04.2024

Danish toy company Lego said on Wednesday it would temporarily halt advertising on social media for at least 30 days, mirroring moves announced by a number of other corporations amid a rising debate on the need to curb hate speech.

Lego said it was "committed to having a positive impact on children and the world they will inherit," and wanted "a positive, inclusive digital environment free from hate speech, discrimination and misinformation."

One of the social media platforms that has drawn criticism is Facebook, which last week announced new policies to ban more forms of hate speech.

Invest in other channels

In the meantime, Lego said it would invest in other channels and also collaborate with partners "to create a more trusted digital world for people today and future generations."

The Lego statement was signed by Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer.

The privately owned Danish company - known for its plastic building blocks - reported a net profit of 8.3 billion kroner (1.11 billion euros) in 2019, up 3% compared to 2018.

Danish toy company Lego to suspend ads on social media